Pocket key carrier



R..H. THAYER POCKET KEY CARRIER June 24,' 1930.

Filed May 14, 1926 2. 4

lNl/E/VTU/i REUEL H. THAYER Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE REUEL THAYER, 01 NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THAYER TELKEECORPORATION,

OF SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA POCKET KEYCARRIER Application filed May 14,

This invention relates to key carriers of the type which comprise aflexible casing for the keys which may be carried in the pocket toprotect the pocket from the keys.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a key carrier in whichthe number' of key retainers in the carrier may be m-' creased ordiminished as desired.

Another object of the invention is to pro- 1 vide a key carrier in whicheach key retainer comprises an identification means which may bepermanently attached t,o the key, the identification means being removedfrom the key retainer when the key is removed therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a key carrier having aplurality of key retainers, such that a key may be freely turned in alook without turning the carrier.

Another object of the invention is to provide a key, carrier in whichthe key retainers are pivotally mounted in the carrier to rotate aboutan axis and at the same time are slidable along that axis. Other objectsof the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation viewof a key carrier embodying myinvention; I

Figure 2 is a plan view of the key carrier so shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional end view of the key retaining means taken on theline 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side View of one of the key retaining members;

Figure 5 is a front elevation of a key carrier showing a modification ofmy invention;

Figure dis a sectional end View of the key retaining means shown inFigure 5 taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a side View of thekey retaining means shown in Figure 5; and

Figure 8 is a front view of a modified means for mounting the keyretainers shown in Figure 5.

1926. serial No. 108,999.

may be releasably held at the other end by a spring hook 18. A pluralityof chains 19 are adapted to be suspended from the rod 16 by eyelets20,which are attached to the upper ends of the chains 19. The chains 19may have identification tags 21 attached to their ends. Theseidentification tags may comprise a flat member 22 and a loop 23 which isadapted to be attached to a key 24 and which is also non-removablyattached to the fiat member 22. This identification ta is more fullydescribed in my prior apphcation, Serial No. 39,922. Any convenientnumber of the chains 19 with their identification tags 21 and keys 24may be slid upon the rod 16 when the rod is extended from thereinforming strip, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 and securely butpivotally retained thereon when the rod is closed against thereinforcing strip and held by the spring hook 18. If desired, a spacingsleeve or washer 25 may be introduced between every two chains to holdthe chains apart and prevent them from becoming entangled when the keycarrier is in the pocket.

In Figure 5 I have shown a slightly modified form of the carrier shownin Figure 1. In place of the rod 16, a tube 26 is hinged to thereinforcing strip 14 at one end thereof and releasably held at the otherend by the spring clip 27 A plurality of chains 28 having balls 29 attheir upper ends are adapted to be suspended from the tube 26 by theballs 29 fitting inside of-the tube 26 and the chains 28 passing througha slot 30 provided for that purpose in the side of the tube 26. I preferto use chains comprising hollow balls held together by pins as arecommonly used in electric light pull chain sockets, and in usin such achain, the slot 30 need be only wi e enough to accommodate the pinconnecting the two upper balls of the chain. However, any chain may beused with a ball attached to the upper end thereof. In Figure 5 I havealso illustrated a modified form of identification tag which comprises atubular body 31 having an opening 32 in the side adjacent each endthereof. Slots 33 connect the openings 32 with the open ends of thetubular body 31. The openin s 32 are large enough to admit the end bafiof the chain 28, whereupon the adjacent link may be forced through theslot 33 so that it protrudes from the opening in the end of the tubularbody. This opening is small enough so that the ball of the chain 28 cannot pass therethrough and the identification ta is therefore releasablyattached to the chain. Another chain 34 is permanently attached by oneend to the lower end of the identification tag 31 and the free end ofthis chain may be introduced through the hole in the key and attached tothe identification tag by inserting the end ball in the hole 32 similarto the way in which the chain 28 is attached to the identification tag.The end of the tube 26 adjacent the hinge is permanently closed by thehinge and when the tube is rotated about the hinge into the positionshown in dotted lines in Fi re 5, the other end of the tube is open anthe balls 29 may be introduced into the tube or removed therefrom,whereupon thetube may be snapped into its closed position where it isheld by the spring clip 27 which also closes the end of the tube andrevents the balls 29 from coming out of t e tube. The slot 30 may belocated at the lower side of the tube as shown in Figures 5 and 6 or itmay be located along the outer side of the tube as shown in Figure 8,and if desired a plurality of transverse slots 30 may be provided topermit the chain to sw g more freely about the tube when a key 1s m use.

In the modification shown in Figure 1, the identification ta ispermanently attached to the key and w en it is desired to remove a keyfrom the key carrier, the key together with the identification tag isremoved therefrom so that the key may he therefore permanentlyidentified and may be replaced in the carrier without changing theidentity thereof as distinguished from the usual wallet type of key casewherein a fixed number of key snaps are provided in the mind of theuser. In the modification shown in Figure 5, the key may be removed fromthe identification tag, if desired, or both may be removed as in thefirst instance. Any convenient number of keys may be carried in mycarrier and where it is only desired to carry two or three keys, theremaining chains and identification tags may be removed to lighten thecarrier and provide its folding over into a less bulky package and thenumber of keys carried may e changed at will. Any desired insignia mavbe provided on the key tags 21 and 31, such as letters or numbers beingembossed thereon or the tags ainted a certain color.

Various modifications of the invention may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention and I do not therefore desireto limit myself to the speci fic embodiment shown but to interpret theinvention broadly within the scope of the appsnded claims.

hat I claim as my invention is:

1. In a key container comprising a flexible covering for said keys, a odpivotally attached to said container by one end thereof, a releasablecatch to secure the other end of said rod-to said container, a pluralityof chains slidably-mounted on said rod and means to attach a key to eachof said chains.

2. In a key container comprising a flexible covering for said keys, arod pivotally attached to said container by one end thereof, a'releasable catch to secure the other end of said rod to said container,a lurality of chains, an eye at one end of eac chain and adapted toreceive the end of said rod and slidably retain said chains thereon, andmeans to secure a key to the other end of each of said chains.

3. In a key container comprising a flexible covering for said keys, arod pivotally attached to said container by one end thereof, areleasable catch to secure the other end of said rod to said container,a plurality of chains, an eye at one end of each chain adapted toreceive said rod whereby said chains are slidably mounted on said rod,an identifying means on each of said chains and means to permanentlysecure a key to each chain.

4. In a key container comprising a flexible covering for said keys, aplurality of chains, means comprising a releasable catch to slidablysecure one end of each of said chains in said container, anidentification means on each of said chains and means to attach a key toeach of said chains.

5. In a key carrier comprising a folder of flexible material, areinforcing strip, a rod hinged to said strip at one end thereof, areleasable catch to secure the'other end of said rod to said strip, aplurality of chains, an eye at the end of each chain adapted to receivesaid rod whereby said chains are slidably and releasably secured on saidrod, a key identification tag permanently attached to the other end ofeach of said chains and means to permanently secure a key to each ofsaid tags.

6. In a key carrier a rod pivotally secured to said carrier by one endthereof, a releasable catch to secure the other end of said rod to saidcarrier, a plurality of chains slidably mounted on said rod, a spacingwasher slidably mounted on said rod between every two of said chains andmeans to permanently secure a key on each of said chains.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature to this specification.

REUEL H. THAYEB.

